Planning ahead for child care may seem like a daunting task. We recommend that you begin by asking yourself these two important questions:
- What type of care is the best fit for me? The primary options are center-based care, private in-home care or family day care.
- What kind of programming, environment, philosophy and qualities of care best match what we are seeking?
Since there’s nothing more important to you than ensuring your child’s care and education, it’s wise to allow ample time to discover what options are open to you and the differences among them, and then secure the option you prefer. Currently, some of the local child care centers and preschools have waiting lists of up to a year for some age groups.
But the first step is to assess your own needs.